Do you sit down all day? Our hips can get very tight stuck in the same position for hours on end. To stop yourself feeling as stiff as the chair your sitting on take a few moments to stretch out and release those lovely muscles around the hips. Here are 3 Simple stretches you can do at your desk.

Pigeon Pose on the Chair (Ankle to Knee)

Sit forward on the chair so your feet touch the floor

Pop your right ankle on the top of your left thigh

Flex your right foot so the toes draw back towards the shin

Hinge forward from your hips (you can rest on the desk, on your shin or even go all the way to the floor!)

Be mindful of your knee

Focus on deep relaxing breaths

Do the other side!

Lunge

Put right foot firmly on the chair

Hold on the back of the chair and sink hips forward

Keeps hips square

I like to give my right butt cheek a little squeeze to help open up the hip flexors a little more!

Take a few luxurious breaths and repeat on the other side.

Supported Triangle

Stand a little away from the chair or desk with right foot closest

Have you feet about 4 feet apart and legs straight

Turn your right heel in and right toes towards the desk/chair

Make sure your knee is in line with the centre of your foot

Place your right hand on the desk/chair

Reach the left arm up and over

Imagine you are flat as pancake, i.e.: no sticking your behind out or twisting forward or back

Hey Loves, Hope you are having fab week. Do you get tension in your next and shoulders? Some of us spend long amounts of time sitting down at a desk. Throughout the day a combination of stress and bad posture and create aches, pains and stiffness in our shoulders and neck. Shoulders rising up by our ears, hunching forward does not result in feeling or looking good! So what can we do? It might not be practical to start doing full blown Yoga practice at work but you can certainly sneak in a few simple stretches to help keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Check out these 5 simple stretches...

Neck Stretch

Tilt your head to the left.

Gently place your left hand on the side of your head.

Keep your elbow open to the side.

Keep open across the chest.

Reach your right arm down to the floor on a slight diagonal and stretch down through the fingers.

Take a few deep smooth breathes and feel a lovely stretch across the left side of the neck.

Bring your Right hand on the right side of the head to bring the head back to centre.

Repeat on the other side.

Eagle Arms

Give yourself a big hug with the right arm arm over the left.

Catch your right thumb with your left fingers. (You can also go palm to palm if you are move open or simply keep arms crossed if thats better for your body)

Move the forearms so they are parallel to the body.

Lift the elbows up to the ceiling and feel the stretch.

Switch and to the other side.

Reach Up

Interlink the fingers and bring the arms above the head.

Keep the elbows slightly bed and del the shoulders softening.

Then start to stretch the arms straight.

Move the arms back in line with ears as much as possible.

Think thumbs up to the ceiling and pinkys down to the floor behind you.

Take a few deep, smooth breaths and then relax.

Wall Stretch (okay this one you have to stand up for)

Bring left hand on the wall and then turn the body away so you as facing front.

Keep hips, shoulders and feet facing front.

Bring your hand up to a high diagonal, then shoulder height and then a low diagonal.

Feel the how the stretch feels different as you move the arm .

If you need more stretch get a little closer to the wall.

Hand Lock Shoulder Stretch

Interlink fingers behind your back.

Bring arms onto the back of the chair.

If it feels too much keep arms lower and off the chair.

Take deep breaths and enjoy!

Questions, comments, ideas and love please leave in the comments below. Lots of love and relaxation to you.

The other day someone in class asked about what kind of diet supports a physical Yoga practice and I replied by saying that the Yogic diet is Sattvic. A diet of whole foods, veggies and unprocessed foods keeps the body light and limber. However we are not living on a mountain top with our guru, practicing Yoga every morning and mediating for 5 hours a day. We are living in bustling cities. We have jobs, responsibilities and busy lives.

This whole conversation got me thinking about the 3 Gunas which I remember reading about many years ago from the first Yoga book I ever had. "The New Book of Yoga" - from the Sivanada Yoga Centre.

So what are the Gunas? Basically the Gunas are three different types of energy. All three of these energies are present within us and our enviroment. The book above has a beautiful explanation of how this applies to apples.

I really loved learning about the Gunas and using them to identify different aspects of myself such as environment, food and lifestyle choices I make . For example I know I have a lot of rajasic qualities, I'm very passionate about things, I love tea,coffee and salty food. I'm pretty hyperactive and have crazy energy sometimes almost burning myself out. So I know I need to nuture other sides of myself. Eating healthy foods and slowing down can help me be more grounded and relaxed. ​Remembering that all three qualities are present in all things and anyone in excess could bring us way off balance. I don't think Tamasic is bad and Sattvic is good and Rajasic is something in between they just are what they are. To me they are useful and a simple way to look at things to help make healthy and positive choices in our lives.

In terms of food choices, I think it is pretty much common sense. Wholefoods and vegetables give us energy. Spicy, salty food might make us more 'spicy' and passionate, arousing the senses (especially the taste buds!). Heavy foods, alcohol and eating too much can make us sluggish and lazy. But as our dad says....

A little bit of everything is okay. - Tswayuki Saotome

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